The Penn's Grove record., 1887-02-19
HIS SPECIAL GIFT.

"Have you seen the freshman"
"Which?"
.sThere is but one you could see."
"Humpty Dumptyp Oh, he pervades
the place. The trees in the campus
shrank into bushes when he came into
it.n
The students who were going up to
chapel In groups were calling to each
other. Joking as usual. But there was
but one subject to-day for their jokes.
s.Haye you seen the babe?" Tom
Thumb" "Bulgy-they had a dozen
nicknames for this unfortunate fresh
man, who had arrived the previous
night, and had been zen at the hotel
by some Of them.
He was not at chapel, however. so
that the majority of us were disappoln-
ted.
1 had an errand to Professor Tyn-
dall's room that morning, and found
there a very meek young woman, who
had brought her son up to college.
She was speaking as I entered.
"You understand, professor, he is my
only child. / am a widow. He is all L
have"
ST do understand, madam" said the
good old professor, gently, "and all mat
I can do to make him a useful mai
shall be done, rest assured. But IN the
end, is depends on the lad himself"
ssOh. Tony's willingI He does his
best. But we're very poor. 1t has
been hard work for years to raise the
money for him to come here, and now
l want him to learn everything right
away; Greek and Latin and mathema-
tics and arithmetic and history and"-
SIS your son a good arithmetician?
Or has he a talent for languages, or
bellies %lettres, or what has he an incli-
nation forP"
"Oh, nothing at all, sir, unless it is
his meals. He's very fond of dinner,
especially when there's pot pie. But as
for books, he doesn't banker for any OF
them. That's the reason l brought
him here"
IT should like to see the boy" said
the worried professor.
"He's just outside. But youW be
gentle with himP" she said, anxiousiy,
pausing at the door, the knob in her
hand. He's a mere boy, a perfect
child. Come in, Tony, dearp'
The professor looked away to hide a
smile as the tiny littla woman came
up, leading an immensely overgrown
youth as she would a baby.
"This is Tony sir. That is his pet
name, but Anthony Briggs Brashier IS
his full name"
Take a seat, Mr.. Brashier," said the
professor, placing a chair, for the lad.
"a few questions, perhaps, Will give
me an idea of the best course for you
to choose. Many of our students are
elective. How far have you gone In
Latinpn
Tony's red face was perfectly round,
and no older in its lines than that OF a
boy Of 6. But there was great anxiety
in his eyes,, as he said, in a husky whis
per: 81 never could get beyond the
grammar. SIR"
"And in Greek2o
Tony shook his head. The examina-
ton on every subject brought the same
results. The professor frowned. "You
are ct only for the preparatory school,
/ fear. As to mathematicsp"
Tony's face lightened. 81 don't
think I I'M quite such Ounce in mathe-
MATES as in other things. l like the
study. / have gone through the geom-
etry and algebra twice."
swell, WE'LL said the professor, "we
shall see. You will undergo a regular
examination. If you must enter the
preparatory school, it will make your
course a year longer"
'.Ob, dear Tony. do tryl" almost
sobbed his mother. "You know all that
depends on your getting through Don
/ want HIM to be a minister. sir. His
father was a minister. He'd earn our
living shat way and serve God, too. l
want him to live for the glory of God
and the good of the world"
The professor attended her respect
fully as she went out. Tony fingered,
catching sight of me.
"Are you one of the ~students?'' he
asked.
"Yes."I had an odd bewilderment
as to whether it was a child or a grave,
eager man who was talking to me.
ST suppose It's pretty hard work
herepn
"Pretty hard, even for a bright fell
low L replied.
"Well, L can't DO II. I'm not Dflgnti
I'm a regular Ounce. I've made up my
mind to that. Except his queer dark
eyes Frightening, sin one or two little
things, but they wouldn't count
here"
There was little doubt that Tony's
estimate of himself was correct. In
spite of his knowledge of mathematics,
lie was SO deficient in his other studies
that he was put into the preparatory
school, with lady of ID. There he re-
manned for two long years.
His mothers resolve that he should
be a minister was memorable, and it
never occurred to the gentle, good ma
tured lad to oppose il. Hence the en-
ergies of his teachers were spent in try
ing to drive Greek and Latin into his
dull brain, which utterly refused TO
harbor them. He was fond OF good
eating, of fishing. jokes, fun OF all
kinds. His unwieldy body prevented
his taking part in athletic sports, but
his applause was hearty. No student,
even among the digni6ed seniors, would
play against any other college In base
ball or cricket, unless Tony could 60 to